Wall display bank



July 25, 1967 J CARTER ETAL 3,332,616

WALL DI S PLAY BANK Filed Aug 31, 1966 I V [ZN 'IORS, JA M ES CARTER EDWARD E. KUEPPERS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,332,616 WALL DISPLAY BANK James Carter, 2716 NE. 25th St., Lighthouse Point, Fla. 33064, and Edward E. Kueppers, 2360 SE. 9th St., Pompano Beach, Fla. 33062 Filed Aug. 31, 1966, Ser. No. 576,323 2 Claims. (Cl. 232) This invention relates to a wall display bank adapted to be formed in various shapes and sizes and to employ the appearance of various characters.

The invention contemplates a bank having a transparent A front cover, formed of plastic or the like and with various characters being displayed under the cover or upon a back wall, to which the cover is attached, such as a ship and also, with the main cover of the bank being shaped to form various characters such for instance as the Bat Man character and with each of the banks having a slot at its top for the insertion of coins and with the back of the bank being provided with an access opening whereby the coins may be removed.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view illustrating a bank constructed in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of a modified form of the bank,

FIGURE 4 is a section taken substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view showing a further modified form of the device,

FIGURE 6 is an edge view thereof, and

FIGURE 7 is a rear elevational view of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, there has been illustrated a generally rectangular base 5, apertured to receive mounting screws 6 and whereby the base 5 may be removably supported upon a wall area. Fixed to the front of the base 5 is a molded transparent plastic cover 7, generally in the shape of a bottle and arcuately formed and having its marginal edges cemented or otherwise connected to the base 5. The base 5 is provided with an elongated opening 8, closed by a rear access door 9. The door 9 is hinged at 10 and the door 9 is held in a closed position by a latch 11. Fixed to the forward side of the door 9 is a general outline of a ship or other figure 12 that is fixed to the door 9 in relief. In the use of this form of the invention, coins are inserted into the bank through a slot 13, formed in the upper part of the cover 7 and is visible through the cover 7. The base 5 is screwed or otherwise attached to the wall area by the screws 6 and when the bank is to be emptied, the base 5 is removed from the wall, and the closure cover 9 swung to the open position, shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2, to remove the coins.

In FIGURES 3 and 4, there has been illustrated generally a base 14, provided with the apertures at its upper edge, for the insertion of screws 15. Fixed to the base 14 is a molded plastic cover 16, molded in arcuate form, similar to the first form of the invention and with the inner side of the cover 16 being molded to form the outline of a relief picture 17, of a ship. The cover 16 is provided with a slot 18, for the insertion of coins into the bank, formed by the cover 16 and a similar access door. The cover 16 is transparent so that a person can look through the cover and determine the amount of money that is in the bank. The base 14 is provided with a similar opening 19 that is covered and uncovered by a closure door 20', hinged as at 21 and held in a closed position by a latch 22.

The use of this form of the invention is substantially identical to that illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2.

In FIGURES 5-7, there has been illustrated a further modified form of the invention wherein the bank partakes of a shape corresponding to the face or head area of a character, such as that of the Bat Man, having a portion of the cover 23 provided with a mask 24 that is nontransparent, molded to form eye recesses 25, an upper head portion 26 and with the head portion 26 upon the rear side being provided with a hook 27, through the medium of which the bank may be supported upon a wall or the like. The lower portion of the device is formed clear so that a person can determine the approximate number of coins within the bank. The head 26 is also provided with a slot 28 whereby coins may be inserted into the bank. The rear wall of the bank, shown at 29 is provided with an opening 30, hinged at 31 and having a spring latch 32 at its upper end to maintain the closure cover 33 in a closed position over the opening 30 and whereby the money within the bank may be removed. The closure 33 may also be provided with an ease-l prop 34, carried by the closure door 33 and so that the bank may be disposed in an upright position upon a table top or similar area.

It is contemplated, that the design of the bank, shown in FIGURES 5-7 is not restricted to any particular character, as many characters may be employed as savings banks but, in each instance, the body of the bank is formed of molded plastic and, while in each instance, a closure door has been provided with each form of the invention, it will be apparent that the door may be omitted and an access plug employed to fill an opening that is of such size as to dump the coins from the bank.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a novel savings bank has been employed which is ornamental in appearance and is not restricted to the particular figures illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3, such being a ship although many various characters may be employed, such as animals or the like. The device is cheap to manufacture, is strong, durable and presents characters that are particularly attractive to children such for instance, as the Bat Man.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim:

1. A savings bank that is formed of molded clear plastic and to form a head of any suitable amusement character, such as the Bat Man, the character having a fiat rear wall and a convex forward Wall, an access opening formed in the back wall that is covered and uncovered by hingedly connected closure door, the closure door being retained in a closed position by a latch, the head being molded to be shaped similar to the appearance of the amusement character, the head portion at its top being provided with a slot for the reception of coins, the inner side of the back wall having decorative characters fixed thereto and to correspond to the decorative character, the head portion and the back wall being molded to form a hook that is adapted to be supported upon a suitable retaining fixture in the wall area.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the access door is provided with an easel that is hingedly connected to the outer side of the back wall whereby to support the bank in an upright position upon a flat surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 156,365 12/ 1949 OMalley 232- 4 X D. 164,252 8/1951 Moran 232-4 X 458,047 8/1891 Ellis 2324 Valentine 232-4 Fisher 232--4 Binder 2324 Carlson 232-6 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Examiner. 

1. A SAVINGS BANK THAT IS FORMED OF MOLDED CLEAR PLASTIC AND TO FORM A HEAD OF ANY SUITABLE AMUSEMENT CHARACTER, SUCH AS THE BAT MAN, THE CHARACTER HAVING A FLAT REAR WALL AND A CONVEX FORWARD WALL, AN ACCESS OPENING FORMED IN THE BACK WALL THAT IS COVERED AND UNCOVERED BY HINGEDLY CONNECTED CLOSURE DOOR, THE CLOSURE DOOR BEING RETAINED IN A CLOSED POSITION BY A LATCH, THE HEAD BEING MOLDED TO BE SHAPED SIMILAR TO THE APPEARANCE OF THE AMUSEMENT CHARACTER, THE HEAD PORTION AT ITS TOP BEING PROVIDED WITH A SLOT FOR THE RECEPTION OF COINS, THE INNER SIDE OF THE BACK WALL HAVING DECORATIVE CHARACTERS FIXED THERETO AND TO CORRESPOND TO THE DECORATIVE CHARACTER, THE HEAD PORTION AND THE BACK WALL BEING MOLDED TO FORM A HOOK THAT IS ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED UPON A SUITABLE RETAINING FIXTURE IN THE WALL AREA. 